Wichita eagle., 1887-05-07
THE RIVER QUESTION.
To the Editor Of the Eagle.

| consequence thereof.
The EAGLE seems to have forgotten the
time when the people of this section threw
up their hats for Tom Ryan. the old flag
and an appropriation to make the big vel
low ditch navigable stream from its
mouth to Wichita. The appropriations
was made, Ryan returned to Congress, and
in due time the money was placed where it
would do the most good, but the 'Nile of
America" goes On in its old and own sweet
way, forming sand bars one year
and washing them out the next, ali
the same as if there were no Wichita, no
Tom Ryan, no appropriation, no EAGLE
Laying aside all attempts to be funny
about the matter; what are the facts re-
garding the Big River and the encroach-
ments? Every one who has lived in Wich-
tia for the past seventeen years knows for
certainty the following facts:
First-That the bed of the Little river
is lower than that of the Big river.
Second-That when both rivers were bank
full at the same time the waters of the
Little river had to seek other outlets than
W here it emptied into the larger stream;
consequently it overfowed through the
several Expressions leading of to Chisholm
creek, like that where the mill race now
runs five miles north Of town, across the
low fiat ground west of the old Waterman
place where Frank Williams how lives,
down from point near the water works
across Wichita, Water, Main, Market,
Lawrence and Topeka streets, and thence
southwesterly until it emptied into the Big
river at two places south of the Fitzgerald
property.
Third-At the time those overhows &C.
CURED, the banks of the Little river we're
lower than they are now. All the streets
running south from Central avenue and
east from Waco to Emporia avenue were
from two to four feet lower than at pres
ent. 1t Is in the mind of every observanl
| citizen that Main street from Central to
Douglas is at least three feet higher, and
Douglas avenue from the river to Fourth
avenue from two to four feet
higher in the center than they were in 1870,
and at least two feet higher on an average
than they were at the time of the last flood.
Again, the Jetty system inaugurated by
Capt. Eads has clearly proven thai to keep
| a stream like the Arkansas from overflow
ing its banks the best way is to confine its
waters in as narrow q channel as possible.
BY 80 doing the bottom will be secured
out. if it is sandy, and thus afford depth
Of current that will prevent the Judgement
of debris, the formation of sandbars and
per consequence the strayiDg of the angry
flood to one side or the other.
l maintain, and l do not think Captain
Fred. Sumner, or any other intelligent en-
gineer who has had experience with ouI
sandy western streams, will disagree with
me, that if the channel Of the Big Arkan
sas should be narrowed to one half its pres
ent width by filling, or any other means
| for distance six miles above and below
the city, We weulu never be troubled by
overflows from either river Neither would
we have q Let of sand bars at low
water to catch every dead hos
| dog, cat, hog, and all such filth
thrown in at points above US to purify in
the hot summer sun and cast their baleful
Odors over the entire city. For a month
or six weeks in every year, whether it rain.
here or not, the Arkansas takes on clean
spell The melting SHOWS of the Rockies
pours down its channel, cleaning away the
dirt made by mans stupid shiftlessness.
After that it is but rivulet, compare
lively speaking, stealing its way along be-
tween ever changing sandy banks and
sandbars loaded, 1t would setm like, with
the accumulated dirt of an Indian en-
campment. In such condition it serves
no good purpose. unless
it be for the sub irrigation or the expendi
ture of money in bridging its treacherous
sands.
To come to the point l suspect that a
large part of the howl about encroachments
on the river comes from those who have
taken up sand bars in it and endeavored to
make islands Of them. Some, under
stand, have gone so far as to claim bars
made last year and have been selling sand
hof
the channel was narrowed as above indica-
ted their occupation would be gone because
the first food after the improvement was
made would wash out sand bars, their &C.
cumulated fifth and perhaps some
of the willow covered islands formed with
in the last eight or ten yeara. which the
claimants expect to be veritable bonanza
some day in the near future, especially if
prohibition lasts.
To sum up, think if the EAGLE and
not only the EAGLE but our citizens gener.
ally, will give this matter careful and
consi derate attention, the verdict will be in
favor of not only piling the banks but of
making the river a deep flowing stream in
front of this city the whole year round. in
stead of keeping it cesspool for at leas,
ten months in the year.
w. B. HUTCHINSON.
There was boisterous proceeding in the
c omposing rooms of the EAGLR office last
light, which was very unbecoming re-
Snectahle establishment II cana ahout in